Alpine Miniatures has sent us some of their latest figures from
master sculptor Taesung Harms.

Alpine started from small
beginnings in 2004 and has gradually become one of the most respected
names in figure modelling through their attention to detail and superbly
sculpted figures. Often moulded in 1/35 scale, they are branching out
into 1/16 figures as well. They have succeeded in business as a small
company amongst a lot of larger companies in the market after much
acclaim by modellers, and on evidence from this set I know why.

This pack - 35116 WW2 US AFV Crew Set - comprises two figures with
the choice of two different heads for each figure, something which
alpine have pioneered and other companies have followed. This set
depicts two crewman of a U.S. tank regiment standing looking at
something in front of them, arms down a their sides – (no pointing
figures here)

The
one kit is actually a pair of individual kits from Alpine Miniatures
numbers 35114 - WW2 US AFV Crew #1 & 35115 + WW2 US AFV Crew #2 that
have been made into a pair of crewman in the one pack. You can get
these singularly, but together they look very realistic and complement
each other, and naturally look like the part of the same tank crew.
These two figures wear pretty different gear, so each is different from
the other and instantly there is some difference to each figure.

The
figures are correct in anatomy proportion all of the way through their
bodies and the choice of two heads gives you either a U.S. M1
helmet/tanker's helmet or a service cap configuration for both crew. I
had a squizz through my book Warrior 78 – US army Tank Men 1941-45
to check on what each tanker is wearing, it helped me identify exactly
what each soldier had on. Let's look at them both individually and then
together as a set.

35114 - WW2 US AFV Crew #1 consists of a torso, two arms and a pistol
(with a helpful locating notch on the tankers hip) plus the fore
mentioned two heads. One of the heads has a soft tanker's lining helmet
inside his standard M1 helmet, while the second head is wearing the soft
under cap that goes under the harder tanker's helmet. This was a warm
skullcap that went all of the way down to the neck. Each of the faces is
extremely fine and lifelike – no disfigured look here as is usual for
Alpine's heads.

The torso of this soldier is wearing a pair of tanker's pants which
fit under the tanker's jacket. This is excellently rendered, with fine
patches on the arms, one either side denotes the stripes of a corporal.
The other triangular patch on the left arm of the M41 or "Parsons
Jacket" which has the correct five buttons and side pockets on the
front. Tucked into the belt is a pouch for a medic pack, and, at the
corporal's right hip, is a pistol holster for the tanker's Colt .45 with
holster.

The tanker is wearing "shoepacs" which were winter footwear,
rubber-bottomed, leather-topped worn with heavy ski socks and a felt
innersole. These overcame the heavy incidence of trench foot among our
troops fighting in cold and extremely wet climates. The tankers did use
these as well as the infantry especially in the harsh cold of northern
Europe in 1944/5

The second tanker in this set (sold separately as well as 35115 - WW2
US AFV Crew #2) consists of five pieces of resin, two arms, a torso and
two different heads. This figure is standing upright with his arms down
at his sides, correct in length. They sit below his waist and look
quite natural. Let's start off with the two heads

Again you have two very different sets of headgear on two excellently
sculpted heads. Mr. Harms has done his job well, and well-painted faces
on these figures look amazing and fine. The first head on this soldier
wears a standard U.S. M1 helmet, while underneath is the tankers under
helmet or hood which covers the back of the tanker's neck. The head has
the standard M1938/1942A tankers helmet on, which is a dead ringer for
the original headwear, and has all of the right bits on the right places
even the ventilation holes! Excellent researching, and a step beyond
most other's work. If you have any other US tankers I would cut their
heads off and use the spares from these kits, That's all a little bit of
added value here as far as I am concerned.

The torso of the second soldier is again wearing the chest-high
tanker's pants, which can be seen right up to the nipple in the split in
the opened tanker's jacket. The jacket has the cuffs and collars in the
right places and has the triangle patch on the left arm and the two
stripes of a corporal on both arms. The boots are standard issue without
shoepacs on this soldier

The figures stand quite well and look natural, no pointing or
dramatics here, which really is the most common stance in life isn’t
it? The creases on the clothes are in different places, and the
difference in clothing from one soldier to the next really make these
matched pairs still look close enough to have been sitting in the same
tank together.

The resin in the kits should be mentioned here. It is very soft and
really easy to cut and shape – these figures took 20 minutes to make
‘from go to whoa’ and were an absolute pleasure. A lot of people don’t
like resin but these work like plastic, and the time I saved removing
stupid seams makes me think this is a bargain every day of the week.

A great set again from Alpine, well worth the small asking price,
finely sculpted and accurate in scale and clothing choices. I would
recommend this set to anyone who needs some U.S. figures for their
diorama – well done!

Many thanks to Alpine Miniatures for the review sample used here.Alpines' Distributors: Link